- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason proposals for a coal-fired power station at Hunterston were not included in the public consultation on the second National Planning Framework.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27009 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 how it supports voluntary producer supply management in the milk industry.
Answer
In a deregulated dairy industry producers are free to make their own business decisions, including the volume of milk produced.
- 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 Executivewhen the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment last met EU member state representatives to discuss electronic identification for sheep and what action was taken as a result of that meeting.
Answer
I met with Irish and Hungarian Ministers in the margins of the EU Agriculture Council in March 2009 to discuss electronic identification (EID) of sheep. I urged them to support the Scottish position on sheep EID.
- 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 the beef special premium scheme for bulls that are used in lethal bull fighting.
Answer
Entitlement to beef special premium payments for stock destined for bull fighting is a matter for the European Commission and those member states where such practices are permitted.
- 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 European Union officials regarding electronic identification for sheep.
Answer
My officials are in regular contact with European Union officials regarding sheep EID and keep me fully informed of these discussions. I requested a meeting in July with Commissioner Vassiliou prior to the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) but she was unavailable.
- 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 the Scotland Rural Development Programme includes measures for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in agriculture.
Answer
There are a range of measures to support conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in agriculture in a number of Scotland Rural Development Programme schemes, including Rural Priorities and Land Managers'' Options. More information is available on the SRDP website at
www.scotland.gov.uk/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 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 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 Executivewhen the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment last met European Union officials to discuss electronic identification for sheep and what action was taken as a result.
Answer
I met with Commissioner Vassiliou in March this year and the Director of Animal Health, Bernard Van Goethem, in June. I was informed that the principle of the Regulation would not be overturned. However I received assurances that the Commission were well informed of our issues and they would take account of these in development of the legislation, which they have duly done. I requested a further meeting in July with Commissioner Vassiliou, but due to other commitments it was not possible to secure a meeting with her.
- 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 funding for energy crops should be provided only when a positive energy and environmental balance can be demonstrated.
Answer
The Scotland Rural Development Programme under Rural Priorities offers farm businesses funding to diversify into alternative forms of agricultural production including energy crops, and a specific option to plant short rotation coppice crops for similar purpose.
This is to help them develop more sustainable businesses by responding to changing market demands and taking advantage of new market opportunities.
To attract support, a farmer has to show that the project will contribute towards agreed regional priorities established to aid delivery of key strategic outcomes, including adaptation to mitigate climate change and protection of biodiversity.
