- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 21 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive which fox destruction clubs in the Highlands and Islands it contacted to notify them that funding was to be withdrawn.
Answer
The Scottish Government wrote to the following fox destruction clubs in the Highlands and Islands:
| Appin Fox Club | Argyll |
| Ardchattan Vermin Control Society | Argyll |
| Atholl and Breadalbane Fox Control Society | Argyll |
| Cowal Fox Control Association | Argyll |
| Craignish and District Fox Control Club | Argyll |
| South Lorn Fox Control Club | Argyll |
| Kintyre Fox Hunting Society | Campbeltown |
| Lochaber and Sunart Fox Society | Fort William |
| Brae Lochaber Fox Club | Inverness |
| Three Straths Fox Control Association | Inverness |
| Glen Fox Club | Isle of Skye |
| Minginish Fox Club | Isle of Skye |
| Trotternish Fox Club | Isle of Skye |
| Aultbea and District Fox Control Club | Ross |
| Gairloch & Inverasdale Fox Control Club | Ross |
| Glenelg and District Fox Control Club | Ross |
| Durness Fox Club | Sutherland |
| Tongue Fox Club | Sutherland |
| Lochbroom Fox Club | Wester Ross |
I have already committed to continue funding for the scheme for the 2008-09 season and I will be examining the scope for continuing support for future years. I expect to be able to make an announcement on this in due course.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 21 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive who it consulted regarding the withdrawal of funding to fox destruction clubs in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17002 on 21 October 2008. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 21 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16278 by Michael Russell on 25 September 2008, what consultation or investigation it carried out on the impact of withdrawing funding to fox destruction clubs in the Highlands and Islands prior to sending out the notification to the clubs in May 2008.
Answer
The Scottish Government has considered representations made in response to the letter issued to fox destruction clubs in May 2008.
I have already committed to continue funding for the scheme for the 2008-09 season and I will be examining the scope for continuing support for future years. I expect to be able to make an announcement on this in due course.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 21 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it asked for the views of fox destruction clubs in the Highlands and Islands when notifying these clubs in May 2008 that funding was to be withdrawn.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17002 on 21 October 2008. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 2 October 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to enforce existing provisions for controlling the sale of alcohol.
Answer
Enforcement is the responsibility of the local licensing boards and the relevant police forces under various powers in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976.
We are also implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to the timetable set out by the last administration, which will update the licensing regime and offers new tools for more effective enforcement.
One example we have already put in place is the roll-out of test purchasing across all Scottish police forces, and we are pleased to note that many local authorities have already appointed Licensing Standards Officers who will play an instrumental part in ensuring licence holders adhere to the conditions of their licence.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has carried out with crofters and farmers in the Highlands and Islands regarding the control of predatory foxes in that area.
Answer
We wrote to each of the 22 recognised fox destruction clubs in May 2008 to inform them of the likelihood that funding to support their activities would no longer be available after spring 2008. We received only one response to this letter.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to crofters and farmers in the Highlands and Islands to control fox numbers.
Answer
The Scottish Government currently provides financial assistance to fox destruction clubs by paying 50% of the costs incurred by the organisations recognised by the scheme. This scheme was established to assist in controlling the predation of lambs by foxes and has been operating since 1978. The scheme in its present form has been operating since 1 April 1998 and aims to encourage land owners and occupiers of land to take co-operative action to control fox populations for this purpose. The Scottish Government has been reviewing the case for continuation of this support given the wide range of opportunities available to land managers for securing support under the Scotland Rural Development Programme.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 25 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what payments have been or will be made to fox clubs in the Highlands and Islands by the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09 and (d) 2009-10.
Answer
The payments made by the Scottish Government in support of fox destruction clubs located in the Highlands and Islands for the periods 2006-07 and 2007-08 were as follows:
(a) 2006-07 - £31,765.95.
(b) 2007-08 - £32,440.62.
The estimated payment for the period 2008-09 is:
(c) 2008-09 - £38,756.52.
We have sought views whether this scheme should continue beyond the current financial year.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer S3W-15433 by Stewart Stevenson on 3 September 2008, whether it remains its view that there is no domestic legal impediment or European Union regulation that would prevent a publicly subsidised ferry service being run by an operator other than CalMac Ferries Ltd between Lochboisdale and Mallaig and, if not, what the reasons are for the change in its position.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15433 on 3 September 2008. There has been no change in the Scottish Government''s position. 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/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 September 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 24 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9536 by Stewart Stevenson on 5 March 2008 and the intervention made by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change during the debate on ferry services on 10 September 2008 (Official Report c. 10640), whether there remains scope in the budget for the proposed Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service.
Answer
On 5 March 2008 I indicated that there was scope within the budget to fund a ferry service from Castlebay and Lochboisdale to Mallaig. The current proposal from Storas Uibhist is not for a service from Castlebay and Lochboisdale to Mallaig, but for a dedicated additional Lochboisdale to Mallaig service. Discussions are continuing with a view to resolving a number of issues to deliver our shared aim of providing a viable and sustainable ferry service linking Lochboisdale and Mallaig.
