- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 12 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive why the current year's Less Favoured Area Support Scheme budget of #63.4 million is projected to underspend by #2.8 million.
Answer
The underspend arose for two reasons. 2001 was the first year of the new scheme and certain assumptions had to be made about the correct split of improved pasture and rough grazing. These were subsequently adjusted. The second reason was that the 2001 scheme limited gains to sparsely stocked farms by imposing minimum stocking densities. In 2001 this latter change reduced the area of eligible rough grazing by 24% and improved pasture by 2%.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 12 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the #2.8 million saved from the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme 2001 will be allocated to the 2002 budget for the scheme and whether specific consideration will be given to addressing any geographic disadvantage in the disbursement of the funds.
Answer
I intend to increase the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme budget for 2002 by £2 million - the likely underspend from 2001. The joint Industry/Executive Working Group is currently considering how this money should be used.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses claimed less than ?1,250 under the (a) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, (b) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (c) Beef Special Premium Scheme, (d) Extensification Premium Scheme and (e) Arable Area Payment Scheme from 1 April 1999 to date, broken down by each Environment and Rural Affairs Department area office in the Highlands and Islands area.
Answer
The numbers of producers who claimed less than €1,250 under the schemes requested are given in the table. Figures for 2001 have not been supplied as scheme payments are continuing.
ERAD Highlands & Islands Area Office | Scheme year 1999 | Scheme year 2000 |
Oban | 114 | 146 |
Elgin | 21 | 17 |
Ayr | 6 | 9 |
Inverness | 255 | 302 |
Portree | 151 | 175 |
Benbecula | 302 | 353 |
Kirkwall | 90 | 97 |
Stornoway | 706 | 835 |
Lairg | 91 | 132 |
Thurso | 121 | 160 |
Lerwick | 319 | 416 |
Total | 2,176 | 2,652 |
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) cattle and (b) sheep and how much arable ground were claimed for under the (i) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (ii) Beef Special Premium Scheme, (iii) Extensification Premium Scheme, (iv) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme and (v) Arable Area Payment Scheme in 2000-01 and 2001-02 to date and how many (a) cattle and (b) sheep and how much arable land were claimed for under each scheme by small producers, broken down by each Environment and Rural Affairs Department area office in the Highlands and Islands area.
Answer
The livestock numbers and arable land area in scheme years 2000 and 2001, for all Scottish producers, are given in tables 1 & 2. The 2001 figures are partial, as they include only information on the IACS applications processed so far. Table 3 shows "small producers" for scheme year 2000. These were assumed to be producers who earned a total of €1,250 or less in subsidy payments. Figures have not been provided for 2001 as processing is on-going. Table 1: 2000 scheme year
ERAD Highlands & Islands Area Office | Sheep | Suckler cows | Beef cows | Arable land (ha) 1 |
Oban | 329,557 | 21,978 | 10,319 | 1,363.33 |
Elgin | 43,881 | 10,371 | 5,809 | 4,812.07 |
Ayr | 35,986 | 3,441 | 2,559 | 523.17 |
Inverness | 276,663 | 28,853 | 17,046 | 25,122.56 |
Portree | 94,927 | 2,662 | 383 | 0 |
Benbecula | 43,862 | 2,026 | 352 | 691.92 |
Kirkwall | 66,350 | 30,596 | 22,281 | 4,040.90 |
Stornoway | 91,116 | 460 | 287 | 0.90 |
Lairg | 86,034 | 2,827 | 1,349 | 975.70 |
Thurso | 149,065 | 21,179 | 10,230 | 5,901.04 |
Lerwick | 191,554 | 1,893 | 780 | 84.29 |
Total | 1,408,995 | 126,286 | 71,395 | 43,515.88 |
Table 2: 2001 scheme year
| ERAD Highlands & Islands Area Office | Sheep | Suckler cows | Beef cows | Arable land (ha) 1 |
Oban | 325,116 | 5,799 | 7,299 | 1,294.50 |
Elgin | 42,159 | 2,523 | 3,160 | 2,282.40 |
Ayr | 34,364 | 1,431 | 1,877 | 514.95 |
Inverness | 266,534 | 9,509 | 9,534 | 12,200.00 |
Portree | 95,854 | 407 | 287 | 0 |
Benbecula | 42,099 | 577 | 222 | 656.12 |
Kirkwall | 65,724 | 15,429 | 11,824 | 3,808.90 |
Stornoway | 88,389 | 73 | 244 | 0 |
Lairg | 84,102 | 541 | 903 | 789.42 |
Thurso | 142,236 | 6,467 | 7,338 | 5,366.90 |
Lerwick | 189,611 | 659 | 475 | 67.97 |
Total | 1,376,188 | 43,415 | 46,163 | 26,981.16 |
Notes:1. The above hectarage figures cover all land entered on Scottish Area Aid Applications and will include land farmed in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.Table 3: 2000 scheme year (small producers)
ERAD Highlands & Islands Area Office | Sheep | Suckler cows | Beef cows | Arable land (ha) |
Oban | 3,086 | 120 | 81 | 3.70 |
Elgin | 175 | 11 | 12 | 13.21 |
Ayr | 211 | 3 | 7 | 0.00 |
Inverness | 6,503 | 244 | 107 | 32.61 |
Portree | 4,751 | 101 | 14 | 0.00 |
Benbecula | 8,846 | 90 | 9 | 101.17 |
Kirkwall | 1,901 | 39 | 66 | 16.63 |
Stornoway | 26,898 | 48 | 39 | 0.90 |
Lairg | 4,207 | 41 | 13 | 4.00 |
Thurso | 4,526 | 57 | 35 | 24.19 |
Lerwick | 13,203 | 14 | 4 | 0.00 |
Total | 74,307 | 768 | 387 | 196.41 |
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what total (a) forage and (b) arable area was covered by claims for area aid under the Integrated Administration and Control System by small producers in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02 to date, broken down by each Environment and Rural Affairs Department area office in the Highlands and Islands area.
Answer
The total area of forage and arable land in scheme year 2000 is given in the table. "Small producers" were assumed to be those who earned a total of €1,250 or less in subsidy payments. Processing of the 2001 IACS is on-going and totals are not available at this stage.
| ERAD Highlands & Islands Area Office | 2000 forage (ha) | 2000 arable (ha) |
Oban | 5,985.00 | 3.70 |
Elgin | 491.73 | 13.21 |
Ayr | 321.46 | 0 |
Inverness | 19,033.65 | 32.61 |
Portree | 6,862.50 | 0.00 |
Benbecula | 11,519.62 | 101.17 |
Kirkwall | 1,113.70 | 16.63 |
Stornoway | 36,604.92 | 0.90 |
Lairg | 6,682.82 | 4.00 |
Thurso | 6,629.38 | 24.19 |
Lerwick | 10,937.78 | 0 |
Total | 106,182.65 | 196.41 |
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what total (a) forage and (b) arable area was covered by claims for area aid under the Integrated Administration and Control System in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02 to date, broken down by each Environment and Rural Affairs Department area office in the Highlands and Islands area.
Answer
The total hectarage declared on area aid applications in scheme years 2000 and 2001 is given in the table.
| ERAD Highlands & Islands Area Office | 2000 forage (ha) | 2000 arable (ha) | 2001 forage (ha) | 2001 arable (ha) |
Oban | 400,281.75 | 1,363.33 | 371,333.70 | 1,294.50 |
Elgin | 41,393.92 | 4,812.07 | 37,417.80 | 2,282.40 |
Ayr | 36,024.72 | 523.17 | 34,201.11 | 514.95 |
Inverness | 597,135.39 | 25,122.56 | 552,353.40 | 12,200.00 |
Portree | 106,633.52 | 0 | 52,461.15 | 0 |
Benbecula | 52,086.50 | 691.92 | 31,081.87 | 656.12 |
Kirkwall | 73,624.21 | 4,040.90 | 73,340.77 | 3,808.90 |
Stornoway | 99,165.52 | 0.90 | 41,766.66 | 0 |
Lairg | 175,140.56 | 975.70 | 124,054.90 | 789.42 |
Thurso | 187,504.85 | 5,901.04 | 149,908.70 | 5,366.90 |
Lerwick | 119,666.49 | 84.29 | 75,468.83 | 67.97 |
Total | 1,888,657.43 | 43,515.88 | 1,543,388.89 | 26,981.16 |
The 2001 figures are only partial. They include only information on the IACS applications processed so far.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 October 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 23 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers will have responsibility for the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the Scottish Social Services Council, established under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.
Answer
The Minister for Health and Community Care will have responsibility for the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care, and the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs for the Scottish Social Services Council. Clearly, the remits of the two bodies are inter-related, and the sponsoring ministers will liase closely with each other and with other relevant ministers, and will have regular joint meetings with the Conveners and Chief Executives of the two bodies.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 9 October 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the third supplementary answer to question S1F-1256 by Henry McLeish on 27 September 2001, what representations it has made or is making to Her Majesty's Government in order to gain a public service obligation in respect of the Inverness to Gatwick air link.
Answer
The Scottish Executive supports the case by The Highland Council for the imposition of measures to ensure access to Gatwick from Inverness. I am writing to the UK Government with a formal request to impose a Public Service Obligation on the Inverness-Gatwick route and to implement measures which will secure the slots required to maintain the service.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the work of the group set up to investigate the impact of the less favoured areas support scheme is proceeding according to schedule and, if not, whether it will change the level at which the safety net will operate in 2002 from 80% to 90%.
Answer
I am grateful to members of the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) Steering Group for the work they are doing reviewing the scheme. This work was held up initially until most of the payments had been finalised. It is now back on schedule.I believe there are good grounds to justify applying the 90% safety net in 2002. I will press Commissioner Fischler very hard indeed to agree to this.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 11 September 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency in 2001-02.
Answer
The agency's performance against its targets in 2000-01 was published in full in its Annual Report and Accounts laid before the Scottish Parliament in August. (Bib. no. 15417)For 2001-02 I have set the agency the following key performance targets:
Quantitative targets
Achievement of a target income of £120,000 from new work or new customers.Completion of 95% of all scientific tests and analyses within the timescales set by customers.Improvement in the unit cost of the scientific work of the agency (cost per direct scientific hour).Ensuring, as part of the agency's rolling programme of consultation of customers, that 95% of the customers for the services of the Official Seed Testing Station for Scotland are at least "satisfied".Milestone targets
Fulfilment of the Agency Service Level Agreement within the budget agreed with ERAD.Publication of a review of the scientific work of the agency 1997-2000 by 31 December 2001.
