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: S3W-23644

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to prevent the widespread re-emergence of bovine tuberculosis.

Scotland continues to have a relatively low and stable incidence of bovine TB. Current policy remains effective in identifying and eradicating new incidents of TB in Scotland.

Current controls include:

Zero tolerance of overdue tests;

Pre and post movement testing of all cattle coming to Scotland from high incidence areas of GB, and

Gamma Interferon testing applied to all cattle over six weeks of age on holdings as identified as new confirmed breakdowns.

Question reference: S3W-23642

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it is undertaking regarding badgers and the transmission of bovine tuberculosis and whether it intends to publish the results.

Question reference: S3W-23645

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received on the need to introduce further measures to prevent the widespread re-emergence of bovine tuberculosis.

Question reference: S3W-23849

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to an increase in the rateable value of wind farms and what the timetable is for taking a decision.

Rateable values of all non-domestic property in Scotland, including wind farms, are determined by the Scottish Assessors who, in carrying out that function, act independently of the Scottish Government. Statute requires that all rateable values must be reviewed every five years. The Assessors are currently revaluing all non-domestic property in preparation for the next revaluation which comes into effect on 1 April 2010 and will take into account a number of different factors in determining the valuation of non-domestic properties. Scottish ministers have no locus to intervene in this process.

Question reference: S3W-23851

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what average cost increase there would be over the life of a wind farm if the rateable value were increased from £5,000 to (a) £10,000, (b) £15,000 and (c) £20,000 per megawatt.

Question reference: S3W-23853

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has carried out of the impact on proposals currently under consideration of an increase in the rateable value of wind farms to (a) £10,000, (b) £15,000 and (c) £20,000 per megawatt.

Question reference: S3W-23854

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out in relation to the justification for an increase in the rateable value of wind farms and where this research is available.

Question reference: S3W-23852

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of an increase in the rateable value of wind farms on the number of wind farms established.

Question reference: S3W-23850

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held and with whom regarding a potential increase in the rateable value of wind farms.

Question reference: S3W-23024

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 April 2009
Current Status: Answered by Adam Ingram on 13 May 2009

To ask the Scottish Executivewhat representations it has received in favour of maintaining the distinctive identity of the children’s hearings system in the Orkney, Shetland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar local authority areas.

Responses to Strengthening for the Future: A consultation on the reform of the Children''s Hearings System were received from the following individuals and organisations in the Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles local authority areas:

Alasdair Allan MSP;

North Area Children''s Panel;

Orkney Children''s Panel Advisory Committee;

Orkney Children''s Panel;

Orkney Islands Council;

Shetland Children''s Panel;

Shetland Children''s Panel Advisory Committee;

Shetland Island Council;

Shetland Safeguarders'' Group;

Western Isles Children''s Panel;

Western Isles Children''s Panel Advisory Committee, and

Western Isles Panel of Safeguarders.

A majority of the responses raised the importance of the local dimension in the children''s hearings system.

The responses are available on the Scottish Government website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/04/29131808/0.