- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the abolition of using EU funds to promote meat from farm animals, as proposed in amendment 5260 to the EU agriculture budget.
Answer
The promotional and marketing activity of bodies such as Quality Meat Scotland, which is part funded by the EU, ensures iconic brands such as Scotch beef retain their premium status and contribute to providing a sustainable future for livestock production in Scotland. The Scottish Government would not therefore be in favour of the complete withdrawal of such funding by the EU.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the EU officials with whom the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has discussed electronic identification for sheep in the last two months and detail any action taken as a result of each discussion.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26954 on 18 September 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.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the creation of a European farm price and margin observatory.
Answer
The uniform monitoring of prices across Europe could be a useful tool to help analyse how food affordability differs across countries and how these trends evolve through time. Any monitoring of prices, price transmission and contractual arrangements should, however, be considered against the cost of collecting and processing such data. Careful consideration would need to be given to the implementation arrangements in order to avoid unnecessary burdens on industry.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports an increase in funding at EU level for the creation of farming co-operatives, as proposed in amendment 5254 to the EU agriculture budget.
Answer
The government is in favour of farmers organising themselves into co-operatives and other collaborative structures in order to strengthen their commercial position. Financial support for such collaboration can be offered in a number of ways, using both national and EU funding.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the withdrawal of EU funding from compensation for withdrawals and buy-ins, as proposed in amendment 5258 to the EU agriculture budget.
Answer
Withdrawals and buy-ins has received only limited use in Scotland. Should the proposed amendment be adopted, the Scottish Government anticipate that it would not have a significant impact in Scotland.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the establishment of seed conservation programmes.
Answer
Scottish Government already supports a programme to protect and conserve seed of traditional Scottish varieties and other significant seed collections.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports an increase in EU funding to support low-carbon, low-energy and locally marketed food production.
Answer
EU funding for the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) is fixed at ‚¬679 million for the programme period 2007-13. The Scottish Government has flexibility to deploy that funding across the SRDP, subject to EU rules on minimum spending levels on the various axes of the Programme. These are: 10% for Axis 1 improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sectors; 25% for Axis 2 improving the environment and the countryside; 10% for Axis 3 quality of life in rural areas and diversification of the rural economy, and, 5% for Axis 4 LEADER. Funding for the low-carbon, low-energy, locally marketed food production is delivered through the SRDP.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivehow many meetings have taken place in the last two months between the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and farm industry representatives regarding electronic identification for sheep.
Answer
My officials regularly meet with key industry stakeholders regarding electronic identification (EID) and they keep me informed of these discussions. Over that last few months I have discussed EID with various industry members, amongst other issues, at meetings and events I have attended. I have also met with the Scottish EID Working Group on the 10 September 2009 to discuss this issue.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that milk production should be based on imported animal feed or grass-fed production.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not promote one particular feeding regime over another. The method by which dairy producers feed their animals is a matter for the farmer to determine.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a reduction in EU export refunds for the milk industry.
Answer
EU export subsidies are subject to restrictions, as agreed in the Uruguay Round of international trade negotiations. Further modifications may be agreed in the context of the current WTO Doha Round. In the meantime the government supports the European Commission''s approach of applying export subsidies on a case-by-case basis and in compliance with WTO rules.
